JUSTICE AND CONSUMERS - Archives Combating Antisemitism (2015-2020)

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Fundamental rights Combating antisemitism

date: 01/01/2020

Information on legislation, policies, fundings, surveys and working group on combating antisemitism.

17 November 2020 - Katharina von Schnurbein, Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, addressed the high-level online event at the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, organised by the World Jewish Congress in partnership with the Permanent Mission of the Federal Republic of Germany to the UN. The discussion focused on the role of the United Nations in responding to antisemitism, as part of their efforts to combat all forms of hatred, and featured distinguished speakers: Miguel Moratinos, High representative for the UN Alliance of Civilizations, Ambassador Michaela Küchler of Germany, President of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, Audrey Azoulay, Director-general of UNESCO, Amb. Gilad Erdan, Permanent Rrepresentative of Israel to the United Nations, Tatiana Valovaya, Director-general of the United Nations at Geneva,as well as Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, UN Special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.

Please watch the event here.

15 November 2020 - The B’nai B'rith International Leadership Forum 2020 started with a panel discussion on the rise of antisemitism globally with Ellie Cohanim, US State Department Deputy Special Envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, and Katharina von Schnurbein, European Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, moderated by BBI CEO Dan Mariaschin.

Please watch the panel discussion here.

01 November 2020 - In an interview with Combat Anti-Semitism Movement (CAM), Katharina von Schnurbein discussed the European efforts in combating antisemitism and the aim of the newly announced European Commission comprehensive strategy as part of the Work Programme 2021.

Please read the full interview here.

28 October 2020 - Immediately after adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, the Albanian Parliament organised the online ‘2020 Balkans Forum Against Anti-Semitism’ to fight discrimination and prejudice. The Forum was virtually attended by the Albanian Prime Minister H.E. Edi Rama, Speakers of Parliament of Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Israel, as well as President of the European Parliament David Maria Sassoli, representatives of Jewish communities, human rights activists, and special envoys and coordinators on antisemitism, including the European Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, Katharina von Schnurbein.

Please watch the panel discussion here
Please watch the Balkans Forum here

21 October 2020 - Katharina von Schnurbein, European Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, addressed the dangerous rise of antisemitic conspiracy theories and hate speech online during the opening session of the ‘Ancient Hatred, Modern Medium: Conference on Internet Anti-Semitism’, organised by the US Department of State.

Please watch the full speech here

1 October 2020: One year after the antisemitic terrorist attack on a synagogue in Halle, Katharina von Schnurbein, European Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, discussed about lessons to be learnt for the future with a victim of the attack, a representative of young Jews, a sociologist and an expert on research and education on antisemitism, in a webinar organised by the European Union of Jewish Students.

Please watch the webinar here

29 September 2020: Margaritis Schinas, European Commission Vice-President for Promoting our European way of life, delivered a keynote speech alongside Nicola Beer, European Parliament Vice-President, at the Rosh Hashanah Reception organised by the European Jewish Association and the European Jewish Community Center.

Please find the full speech here

28 September 2020: Katharina von Schnurbein, European Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, discussed how the EU addresses the challenge of antisemitism in an interview with Julien Bal at Radio Judaica – La Matinale.

Please listen to the interview here

18 September 2020: Message from Margaritis Schinas, European Commission Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, on the occasion of the Jewish New Year 5781. (CS, DE, ES, FR, HE, HU, IT, NL, PL)

8-9 September 2020: Katharina von Schnurbein, European Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, addressed the online Kiev Forum on lessons to be learnt from Europe in the fight against antisemitism in Ukraine.

Please watch panel discussion here.
Please watch the full Forum here

6 September 2020: In a webinar organised by European Union for progressive Judaism (EUPJ) the European Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life addressed the question had a conversation on the question “Is the EU good for Jews?”.

Please watch full webinar here

24 August 2020: Katharina von Schnurbein, Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, discussed with the President of the Austrian Parliament, Wolfgang Sobotka, new research and educational initiatives on antisemitism, Jewish culture, and the commemoration of the Holocaust in Austria.

21-23 August 2020: European Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life Katharina von Schnurbein is meeting Austrian Minister for European Affairs Karoline Edtstadler to discuss measures for the development of the national strategy on antisemitism and ways to further highlight the Jewish contribution to the Salzburg Festival.

Picture (left to right): Minister Karoline Edtstadler, Oskar Deutsch, Head of the Jewish community in Austria, Hanna Feingold, Head of the Salzburg Jewish community, and Katharina von Schnurbein

17 June 2020: the third meeting of the Working Group on antisemitism took place in Brussels. Please find here the

20 February 2020: Vice-President Schinas is visiting the Jewish community of Vienna together with the Austrian Minister for European Affairs, Karoline Edtstadtler

10 February 2020: European Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life Katharina von Schnurbein is meeting European and Israeli young representatives of Hashomer Hatzair.

4 February 2020: European Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life Katharina von Schnurbein is attending the Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism in the OSCE Region, Tirana.

29 January 2020: President Ursula von der Leyen addresses the Plenary of the European Parliament on the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Please find here the speech

29 January 2020: President Ursula von der Leyen meets with Holocaust survivor Liliana Segre.

28 January 2020: Vice-President Margaritis Schinas delivers the keynote speech at the event “Remembrance Today: an Intergeneration Conversation” organised on the occasion of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day by the AJC Transatlantic Institute, the Mission of Israel to the EU and NATO, B’nai B’rith International, and the European Office of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. Please find here the speech

27 January 2020: Visit of Vice-President Margaritis Schinas and Vice-President Věra Jourová to the former concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau on the 75^th anniversary of its liberation.

27 January 2020: Joint message by the President Ursula von der Leyen together with Presidents of the European Parliament, David Sassoli and the European Council, Charles Michel on Holocaust Remembrance Day. Full statement here

23 January 2020: President Ursula von der Leyen together with Presidents of the European Parliament, David Sassoli and the European Council, Charles Michel are joining world leaders in Jerusalem at the ‘World Holocaust Forum 2020: Remembering the Holocaust, fighting antisemitism'.

19 January 2020: Commissioner Reynders addresses the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Ministerial Conference. Please see his speech here.

11 December 2019: Celebration of EuroChanukah under the patronage of Vice-President Věra Jourová at the Berlaymont. This year’s Chanukah highlighted the exceptional contribution of European Jewish Women with the opening of the exhibition: “Portraits”.

Round table of members of the Working Group on antisemitism

11 December 2019: the second meeting of the Working Group on antisemitism took place in Brussels with the focus on “Education about Jewish life, antisemitism and the Holocaust”. Please find here the

10 December 2019: Speech by President von der Leyen at the high-level event ‘After Halle: from words to action against anti-Semitism'

28 October 2019: Special Envoys and Coordinators on antisemitsm meeting on the poisonous nexus between antisemitism and right-wing extremism, Munich.

11 October 2019: Commemoration of the attack on the synagogue in Halle, Germany, at the Permanent Representation of the Federal Republic of Germany to the EU

Tweet from Jean-Claude Juncker (@JunckerEU)

09/10/2019, 19:23

I am shocked by the brutal attacks in #Halle – on this day, Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in Judaism. My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the victims. On this day we stand in solidarity with the #Jewish community. pic.twitter.com/nle2TKKv9p

27 September 2019: message from Frans Timmermans, First Vice-President of the European Commission, on the occasion of the Jewish New Year (FR, DE, HU, IT, PL).

11 July 2019: Commissioner Věra Jourová commemorated the 25^th anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attack on the Jewish community in Argentina. During the AMIA bombing 85 people were killed and hundreds injured. “It is not acceptable to close the eyes and tolerate even the smallest acts of antisemitism, not in Europe, not anywhere.”

4 July 2019: the European Commission together with the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) launched the report on “Young Jewish Europeans: Perceptions and Experiences of Antisemitism”. (press release)

26 June 2019: Katharina von Schnurbein, EC Coordinator on combatting Antisemitism, delivers a speech at the Informal Meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York.

For a clip

Photo credits: UN/Manuel elias

24 March 2019: Katharina von Schnurbein, EC Coordinator on combatting Antisemitism, meeting President Michael McRobbie of Indiana University and delivering the key note speech at the conference "Contending with Antisemitism in a Rapidly Changing Political Climate" at the Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism.

12 March 2019: Katharina von Schnurbein, EC Coordinator on combatting Antisemitism speaking at Yad Vashem, on the European Holocaust Research Infrastructure (EHRI) that supports the digitalisation of Yad Vashem archives with 1 million Euro.

22 January 2019, Jewish Museum of Belgium: ahead of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day on 27 January 2019, the Director of the Jewish Museum of Belgium, Ms Pascale Falek Alhadeff, and the European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, Věra Jourová, launched the results of the Eurobarometer survey on the perceptions of Antisemitism among the general public in the 28 EU countries. This survey was carried out among 27,643 respondents across Europe.

Commissioner Věra Jourová spoke about recent policy developments and shared her thoughts on future initiatives to counter Antisemitism to ensure that the Council declaration on Antisemitism of 6 December 2018, will not remain an empty shell.

A Q&A presenting all the Commission actions is available here.

Please find here the full speech held by Commissioner Jourová

For a recording of the event

For a gallery of photos

15 January 2019: President Juncker firmly spoke against Antisemitism in European Parliament Plenary.

(DE version (original) minutes 8:10-9:15, EN version minutes 8:41-9:45)

'I did not think that in my lifetime, I would see again that Jewish citizens are afraid to express their support for their religion. Austria had very particular issue in the area of Antisemitism, so it was important for Austria to speak clearly on this matter. I was in Vienna some months ago and I visited the Jewish community in Vienna to make it quite clear that in Europe there is no place for Antisemitism, racism and xenophobia. The Austrian Chancellor not only clearly spoke out on this matter, but also made clear that we are prepared to do the necessary to reject these negative prejudices.'

5 October 2018: President Juncker met the Jewish community and visited the main synagogue of Vienna. On this occasion, President Juncker reiterated his – and the European Union's - unwavering commitment to fight against antisemitism: 'Our Jewish citizens are a part of us!'

Message (FR, DE, HE) by Frans Timmermans, First Vice-President of the European Commission on the occasion of the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah).

8 June 2018: EC Coordinator on combating Antisemitism features in new Online Course by Yad Vashem on "Antisemitism: From Its Origins to the Present". Please find the MOOC for free here.

23 May 2018: First Vice-President FransTimmermans receives the Lord Jakobovits Prize for European Jewry at the Great Synagogue in Brussels Read the speech.

19 May 2018: Antisemitism in the spotlight - Interview by Politico's Ryan Heath with EC Coordinator on combating Antisemitism Katharina von Schnurbein. Listen here to the podcast.

8 May 2018: Speech by First Vice-President FransTimmermans on Memorial service at the Forum der Joodse Organisaties in Antwerp.

Photo: Donald Barry Woodrow & Judy Salamon

23-24 April 2018: "Addressing Rising Antisemitism in Europe“, Policy workshop organized at the European University Institute in Florence.

For a clip

For more pictures

Photo credits: Robert Schuman Centre

26 April 2018: EC Coordinator on combating Antisemitism, Katharina von Schnurbein, was awarded the B'nai B'rith Europe Human Rights Prize 2018, Mémorial de la Shoah, Paris.

10 April 2018: Launch of the Jewish Policy Research Institute report on 'European Jewish identity: mosaic or monolith?' at the European Commission.

9/10 April 2018: The European Commission organised an Ambassador workshop for the 2^nd FRA survey on Antisemitism. (Picture: European Union of Jewish Students)

30 January 2018: 5th Annual training on Holocaust Remembrance and Fundamental Rights for EU officials with the Memorial Site 'House of the Wannsee-conference'.

Message by President Jean-Claude Juncker on the occasion of Holocaust Remembrance Day 2018

Speech (IT version), held by the Coordinator on combating Antisemitism on 26th January at the Mandela Forum in Florence, to 8000 students from across Tuscany on the occasion of the Holocaust Remembrance Day 2018.

Brussels, 24 January 2018: avant-premiére of the documentary "Nana", followed by a debate between First Vice-President Frans Timmermans, Professor Simon Schama and movie director Serena Dykman.

For a clip

(Photo: European Jewish Congress)

Wishing the Jewish community a Happy Chanukah! Chanukah sameach! The Commission is holding the annual EuroChanukah in cooperation with the European Jewish Community Centre on 19th December under the patronage of Commissioner Pierre Moscovici.

Brussels, 11 December 2017, Joint-statement by First Vice-President Timmermans and Commissioner Jourová on the recent Antisemitic attacks and demonstrations. Press release and video

7 November 2017: Informing the Working Group on Antisemitism in the European Parliament on progress by the European Commission in the fight against Antisemitism

6 November 2017: Addressing the Jewish Community in Amsterdam

30 October 2017: Commissioner Věra Jourová speaking at the B’nai B’rith conference "Jewish Communities and Western Democracies: What Is the Future?", Prague.

On Yom Kippur, 30 September, First Vice-President Frans Timmermans met with the Latvian-Jewish community and visited the memorial to the Righteous among the Nations Zanis Lipke in Riga.

Message (FR, DE) from First Vice-President Frans Timmermans to the Jewish Community in Europe, on the occasion of Rosh-Hashana, 20 September 2017.

Listen to a podcast interview from Daniel S. Mariaschin, CEO of B'nai B'rith International, to Katharina von Schnurbein.

Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Vera Jourová spoke at the 11th EU - Israel seminar on combating Racism, Xenophobia and Antisemitism, Jerusalem, 25 June 2017.

Please find here a clip

On 30 May 2017, the European Commission, the European Parliament Anti-Racism and Diversity Group, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the European External Action Service, organised a Joint Day of Action against Antisemitism, anti-Muslim hatred and discrimination. Among the events, the public presentation of OSCE/ODIHR’s new publication: “Understanding Anti-Semitic Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security Needs of Jewish Communities – a Practical Guide” and a joint Shavuot and Iftar dinner.

Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Vera Jourová addressing the European Parliament on the Resolution on Combating Antisemitism, 31 May 2017.

The EC Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism spoke at the Seminar on Combating Antisemitic Hate Speech (organised by the Council of Europe - No Hate Speech Movement Youth Campaign ) in Strasbourg, 10 May 2017. Link to the European Commission's web page dedicated to combating hate speech online.

Speaking at the 60^th anniversary of the Conference of European Rabbis, Amsterdam, 8 May 2017.

The EC Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism met the Jewish Community of Thessaloniki on 3-4 May 2017. In the picture: the the Holocaust Memorial in the centre of the city.

Meeting Ronald S. Lauder, President of the World Jewish Congress.

Speaking at the 15th Plenary Assembly of the World Jewish Congress, New York City, 23-25 April 2017.

Discussing Antisemitism in Poland with eminent experts and Holocaust survivor Marian Turski 27-30 March 2017.

In the middle of society: Maccabi Germany opening its offices in Frankfurt in the Premises of the German Sports Association, Frankfurt 17 March 2017.

Joining the Delegation of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance in meetings with Bulgarian authorities and the Jewish Community of Sofia 8-10 March 2017.

Katharina von Schnurbein, EC Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism, and Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, Deputy Director-General of the Council of Europe, 14 February 2017, Strasbourg.

The EC Coordinator visited the Council of Europe on 14-15 February 2017 to strengthen the cooperation in the fight against Antisemitism.

Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Johannes Hahn and the European Commission Representation in Austria participated in the #WeRemember Campaign.

The European Commission staff supported the #WeRemember campaign launched by the World Jewish Congress.

Speech ( video recording) by Věra Jourová, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, at the opening of an exhibition by Mémorial de la Shoah on Auschwitz-Birkenau in the Berlaymont, European Commission Headquarters, 30 January 2017.

Please find here the programme.

Please see the picture gallery.

Please find here a message by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to mark the International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2017.

Full house at a debate with Professor Deborah Lipstadt and First Vice-President Frans Timmermans following the screening of the film "Denial", 26 January 2017.

For a clip

Commissioner Věra Jourová speaks at the occasion of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2017.

Read the full speech here

EU Commission Coordinator on combating Antisemitism Katharina von Schnurbein in a TV discussion from the European Parliament premises on Holocaust Remembrance and the fight against Antisemitism. Watch the debate here.

Speech of Frans Timmermans, First Vice-President of the European Commission, at the Inauguration of Rabbi Cohen, Maastricht, 22 January 2017.

Listen to a podcast by Katharina von Schnurbein, Coordinator on combating Antisemitism in cooperation with the US Holocaust Memorial Museum on the situation of Antisemitism in Europe today and actions taken by the European Commission to fight it. (Photo: Karl Gabor, Stockholm)

Joint Statement on the occasion of the 10th EU - Israel Seminar on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Antisemitism, 13 and 14 December 2016, Jerusalem.

Message(50 kB) from First Vice-President Frans Timmermans to the Jewish Community in Europe, on the occasion of Rosh-Hashana, 30 September 2016.

Speech(98 kB) of First Vice-President Frans Timmermans at the International Parliamentary Conference on Combating Antisemitism, 14 March 2016, Berlin

The European Commission organised on 27 January 2016 several actions to commemorate the Holocaust: in particular, a training seminar for officials from all EU institutions focused on Fundamental Rights and Holocaust remembrance, closed by Věra Jourová, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality.

On the occasion of Holocaust Remembrance Day 2016, the Permament Delegation of the European Union to the Office of the United Nations in Geneva organised - among other initiatives - a photo exhibition named "The Family Camp", in collaboration with the Permanent Missions of the Czech Republic and Poland and curated by the Terezin Memorial Museum.

Message by President Jean-Claude Juncker(43 kB) to the Jewish community on the occasion of Holocaust Remembrance Day 2016.

The European Commission appoints Ms Katharina von Schnurbein as Coordinator on combating antisemitism, 1 December 2015.

Article by First Vice-President Timmermans and Věra Jourová(298 kB), Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality: Fighting antisemitism and safeguarding European values, 10 July 2015

Closing remarks of First Vice-President Timmermans at the LIBE hearing on antisemitism, Islamophobia and hate speech, European Parliament, 29 June 2015

First Vice-President Timmermans' speech "Freedom. So what?" at the Willem Arondéus lecture, 11 June 2015

Speech of Věra Jourová, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality: Tackling hate speech and antisemitism, 11 May 2015

Speech of Věra Jourová, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality: Combating antisemitism, a defining moment for Europe, 5 May 2015

Extract from First Vice-President Timmermans' remarks at the press conference, General Affairs Council, Luxembourg, 21 April 2015

Speech of First Vice-President Timmermans at the Dutch Buchenwald commemoration (transcript), 11 April 2015

Address of First Vice-President Timmermans at the memorial ceremony for the victims of the Paris terror attacks, Brussels, 21 January 2015

Speech of Romano Prodi, former President of the European Commission, at the Seminar on Europe - Against Antisemitism, for a Union of Diversity, Brussels, 19 February 2004

Data collection

Discrimination and hate crime against Jews in EU Member States: experiences and perceptions of antisemitism, November 2013. This FRA survey is the first-ever to collect comparable data on Jewish people’s experiences and perceptions of antisemitism, hate-motivated crime and discrimination across a number of EU Member States, specifically in Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Its findings reveal a worrying level of discrimination, particularly in employment and education, a widespread fear of victimisation and heightening concern about antisemitism online.